Clip for airplane construction



Jan. 23, 1923., 11,443,155.

W. THOMAS CLlP FOR AIRPLANE CONSTRUCTION.

FILED JULY 9. 1920.

335% A1115 @Wtze According to Patented. Tan. 23, W23.

WIJLLMTT T. THOMAS, 0h TTHACA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-TENTH TO THOMAS- MORSJE AIRCRAFT GURPOMTIUN, 01E TTHACA; YORK, A CORPORATION" 015',

NEW YORK.

GLIDE FUR mFLhlNE CONSTRUCTION. I

application area truly a, lean. Serial no, mater.

certain new and useful Improvement in Clips for Airplane Construction, of which improvement the following is a specification.

struction and has for its object to provide an improved metal clip for fastening together the members of the frame of the fuselage or body of the airplane, which construction shall possess the necessary strength,

be as light as possible in Wei ht, and adapt ed to be easily manufacture at a low .cost. According to my improvement; the clip is formed of one integral piece of metal adapted to be stamped or punched out of blank plate stock, and then bent to the desired shape around the longitudinal frame memher, the lugs being bent up at right angles to the base to form sockets for securely holding the ends of the struts and other lugs for connections for the diagonal bracing. In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1- is a side elevation of a fuselage joint in which the frame members are connected by a metal clip embodying In]; improvement; Fig; 2, an end elevation; igi 3, an elevation opposite to Fig. 1; and ig. 4, a plan of my improved clip as stamped or punched out of a sheet metal strip and before bending the parts to the position assumed when in use. my improvement, the clip is formed with one or more base portions, two of these, 8 and 8, being shown in the drawings, and each base portion is provided with lugs, 10 and 10, respectively, proyecting at substantially right angles to the bases for forming sockets to receive and hold the ends of the lateral strut members, such as 6 and 7, each base portion being adapted to seat a ainst one side or face of the longitudina frame member, 5. The base portions are also provided with screw holes, such as 9 and 9, for insertin screws to rigidly secure the clip to the Fongitudinal frame member and prevent any slipping thereon. There are also provided at the outside of the lugs, 10 and 10, longer lugs or ears, 11 and 11, extending at an angle to the plane of the bases and for use in at- This invention relates to airplane construt seat.

taching the diagonals or tension members of the truss bracing. y

The clip is also formed with a portion, 12, which may be in the shape of two or more bands or strips, connecting the base portions, and extending around the other sides of thelongitudinal frame member for securing the same in position. I

While my improved clip may be manufactured in various ways, I prefer to'make the same by the process of punching or stamping the blanks from a plane sheet or strip the lugs, 10, 10, etc., being formed by punching slots ofthe desired shape around the outside of the base portion or portions,

of metal of the desired thickness and flexibility, as shown particularly in Fig. 4,

such as 8 and 8, and then bending the lugs up at substantially right angles to' the base to form the sockets for the ends of the lateral struts. The ears, 11 and 11, may then be bent up at the desired angle of inclination forconnection with the diagonal truss wires,'a nd theclip be bent at'suitable right angle turns. to fit around the frame member, 5, with the base portions seated upon the desired side faces thereof.

According to the form of clip shown in the drawings, the two base portions are located at opposite ends of the blank and adapted to seat upon adjacent side faces of the frame member when the clip is bent around the same with the opposite end cars, 11 and 11, meeting together and forming the attachment for one of the diagonal wires, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, the ears being provided with holes at their ends which may be punched therein for this purpose.

The construction thus formed comprises an integral .or one-piece clip for joining two lateral struts or compression members with a longitudinal frame member, and also for attaching the diagonal bracing wires. It is desirable that the centre line of the ears for the bracing wires should be substantially bid in the same-plane with the centre line of the corresponding strut retaining lugs and the centre of the strut seat, and this isa-accomplished according to my improvement by turning up the retaining lugs out of the lifting ears at the outside of the base or This feature also has the advantage of leaving the full metal base for the strut seat inside of the lugs, which may be utilized for carrying the anchorage screws or bolts for securel fastening the clip to the frame member. is is found to be of considerable importance in actual practice, since considerable difiiculty has beenenoountered by clips sliding-along the longerons on other frame members, and .it has been found necessary to secure them in. position .by screws or bolts. I

My improved'construction also lends itself entirely formed by machinery, includin the bending under a punch press, thereb e iminating all hand work, rivet-in ,wel ing, or brazing. The clips may, there ore, be turned I out rapidly at very low cost, and being formed in one 'integralpiece, they have the further'adva-ntage that they may be heat treated whenever necemary without danger ofjseparating the parts, which is very difiicult with a brazed clip.

Having now described my invention, What I claim asnew, and desire to secure by LettersPatent is: I 1

LA clip for airplane construction, comprising a base portion adapted to seat upon one side of a frame member, lifting ears integral with said base for attaching diagonalv bracing, inte ral lu turned up out of the said cars at t e outside of the strut seat and forming a socket for the end of a lateral strut. I l

2. A cli for airplane construction, comprising a base portion adapted toseatupon one side of a frame member, lifting ears integral withsaid base for attaching diagonal bracing, integral lugs turnedup out of the said cars at the outside of the strut seat and forming a socket for the end of a lateral strut, an integral portion extending around the'other sides of the frame member, and a fastening screw extendingthrough the base of said socket into the frame member.

prising same 3. A clip for'airplane construction, comprisingtWo base. portions adapted to seat upon adjacent sides of a frame member, lifting ears integral with said bases for attaching diagonal bracing, integral lugs turned up out of said ears and forming sockets for the ends of lateral struts, and an integral portion extending around the other sides of the frame member. 4. A clip for airplane construction, comprising two base portions adapted to seat upon adjacent sides of a frame member, and each having projecting lugs to form sockets for the ends of lateral struts, an integral portion connecting said bases and extending around the other sides of the frame member, and ears also formed integral with the base and extending at an angle thereto for attaching diagonal bracing, the centre line of said ears being in substantially the same plane with the centre line of the corresponding strut retaining lugs and the centre of the strut seat.

5. A clip for airplane construction, comtwo base portions adapted to seat upon adjacent sides' of the frame member, and each having pro'ecting lugs to form sockets for the ends 0 lateral struts, an integral portion connecting said bases and extending around the other sides of the frame member, and ears also formed integral with the base and extending at an angle thereto for attaching diagonal bracing, the centre line of said ears being in substantially the plane with the centre line of the corresponding strut retaining lugs and the centre of the strut seat, and the two opposite end ears meeting together to form an attachment for one of the diagonals.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. i 

